Without a Doubt Read online

  “You're right,” he agrees.

  This time, it's me grinning. “That's twice you've said that. Either I'm right all the time, or you're wrong a lot.”

  “Or maybe I'm the kind of guy who can admit when he's wrong and you're not used to hearing it.”

  “Maybe it's all three.”

  We have small talk for a few more minutes until we stop to enjoy the warm weather coming in with the windows down and the country music on the radio. As we get closer to the hour mark, a question hits me.

  “Do you even like country music?”

  “Yeah, but I don't listen to it all the time. We're getting close.”

  I don't even know where we are anymore. We get off the interstate and Emerson picks up his phone from where it's sitting in the cup holder. After pressing a few buttons, he lifts the phone to his ear.

  “Hey, we're about twenty minutes out.” He pauses. “She's experienced.” He laughs. “Yeah, okay. See you in a few. Thanks.” Emerson hangs up, but doesn't say anything. Was he talking about me when he said, 'she's experienced'? Experienced how?

  “Were you talking about me?” I ask, not able to keep it in.

  “Yeah.”

  “In what way am I experienced, Emerson? What have you gotten me into?”

  He laughs. It's so easy to make him laugh. Most of the time, I'm not even trying to be funny. “Don't worry. You'll see. All will make sense once we get there.”

  There is apparently a house down a gravel road. The trees clear to show a wide-open space with a two-story farmhouse in the middle. There are pastures to our left and right, wooden fence posts set in intervals. To our right, is a man standing in front of two saddled horses. Emerson is wearing a grin when I glance at him, slightly confused.

  He gets out, comes around, and opens my door. He even holds out his hand for me to take as I hop out of his truck. I stay quiet as we walk over to the man. He has a round gut, but he's about Emerson's height. He's wearing jeans, an old, faded blue button up shirt, and a cowboy hat.

  “Hey, Uncle Terry.” This is his uncle? “Thanks for doing this for Eva and me.”

  His uncle smiles. “Anything for my nephew. It's nice to meet you, Eva.”

  I shake his hand. “You, too.”

  Terry turns his attention to Emerson. “The trail looks good, so you shouldn't have any issues. Y'all have fun.” He hands the reins over to Emerson and then walks away.

  Suddenly, it hits me. I feel like an idiot for not realizing it the moment I saw the horses, but I ignore that part. I grab Emerson's arm with excitement. “We're going horseback riding?”

  “Yep. You used to go all the time, right? Figured you might like to go riding.”

  Here I was thinking we were going on some generic first date, and he's taken one thing I mentioned and run with it. I can't stop smiling as Emerson hands me the reins for one of the horses.

  THE MOMENT EVA realized what we are going to do, something about her changed. Maybe she is transported back to her hometown and all the times she rode horses. Or maybe it's simply because she's around the horse. I don't know what it is exactly, but her glee is contagious. I take the lead and we ride the trail Uncle Terry has, race in the pastures, and then make our way back a couple of hours later. We go straight to the barn behind the house to unsaddle the horses.

  Eva coos over her horse, petting her, and talking softly long after she's unsaddled. I lean against the threshold of the stall, watching. The animal enchants her and she's in her own little world around them. I noticed a few times when we were riding, she wouldn't be paying attention to me because she was petting and talking to the horse.

  “I can see why you love them so much.”

  She startles as if she's forgotten I am here. “They're just so...” her voice trails off as she searches for the perfect word. “Majestic,” she finishes. “I wish I could care for them. Especially when they can be as sweet as she is.” Eva presses her face against the horse's neck, a goodbye of sorts, before turning to face me. “Okay, I'm prepared to leave now.”

  Her words bring a smile to my face. “We'll stop by the house and then head out to eat. I'm sure you're hungry.”

  Eva takes my outstretched hand and we walk over to the house, entering through the back door, which places us in the kitchen, where my uncle and aunt are cooking dinner.

  “How was it?” Uncle Terry asks.

  “Great. Thanks again.”

  “Yes, thanks so much,” Eva adds.

  “Are y'all staying for dinner?” Aunt Shelby questions.

  “Afraid not. Maybe another time.” I don't want to bombard Eva with my family already. Besides, no other girl in the past year has met any of my family members. When I was thinking about what I wanted to do for our date, this seemed like such a perfect idea. I knew Uncle Terry could help make this happen. Eva meeting some of my family early on is a small price to pay to go horseback riding. I push that twinge of weirdness away; the fact that my family thinks Kelly and I simply broke up helps me do so.

  “Your cousins will want to see you before you go,” Aunt Shelby points out.

  Thinking of Kelly while on a date with Eva and while standing in my uncle's home does something to me. I want to get out of here as soon as possible. “We should really get going,” I rush out.

  “Emerson, I'm sure we have time for you to say hi at least,” Eva tells me, squeezing my hand.

  Shit. “You're right; I'll be right back.” I'm sure they are in the living room or their bedrooms. As I'm walking away, I hear my aunt ask Eva how long we've been dating and her surprised, shy-like response that this is our first date.

  Why would they think we've been dating long? Is it because I brought her here? I try to be present in the brief reunion with my cousins, but my mind is far away. The fact remains that Eva worries me because of what I'm supposed to have with Kelly. The possibility of something amazing happening between Eva and I is there. I can feel it skimming across the surface, barely there and out of reach for now. What am I supposed to do with that?

  I'm in a daze as I say goodbye to everyone, lead Eva to my truck, and start driving. We stop at a chain restaurant a few exits down the interstate away from my uncle's. My mind is occupied as we order drinks and then our food. I hate being worried. I hate that Kelly has put me in such a position.

  “Emerson.” The soft, slightly worried tone in Eva's voice causes me to lift my eyes from the table and focus on her. “Is everything okay? You seem like you've been somewhere else ever since we left the house.”

  “Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm all here now.” She might as well have sucker punched me. What kind of date am I?

  “Are we close to your home? Did you want to see your parents or someone while we're here?”

  I shake my head. “No. My hometown is about an hour away still. What about you? Where are you from?” This date needs to get back on track. I should be the one to make it happen since I led it astray to start with.

  “One county north in a town so small, we have to travel two towns over for the grocery store.” Eva rolls her eyes. “I was happy to get away and thankful for scholarships to help me pay for college since my parents couldn't. Not that I don't love my hometown, I do, but I was,” she pauses to think it over, “ready for something more.”

  “I can understand that. Do you go home often since it's nearby?”

  “You would think so, but no. Still only for the holidays. Having a job makes it harder. Do you?”

  I shift uncomfortably in my seat, feeling like there's more weight to her question than there really is. “Only for the holidays like you. Sometimes, I can get a weekend off, and I'll go see my parents. Any idea on where you want to be after graduation?”

  “There's still so much time before then, so I don't like to plan that far ahead. The moment I do, something will happen to alter it. For better or worse, I don't want to risk feeling even a bit of disappointment that things didn't go as planned. I like to just see how things happen and go from there.”

/>   My head nods in agreement. “You're smart.”

  She laughs. “Well, I am older, Emerson.” The waitress drops off our plates and she asks, “Do you have any siblings?”

  “Two older brothers. I get along with one better than the other, but we aren't really close like some siblings are. We were just never those kind of people. What about you?”

  “Only child, but I grew up with Glen and his brothers and sisters, so it feels like I wasn't sometimes. Glen and I are the closest. He's like the older protective brother without being older or a brother.” Eva smiles and I know she must have a special bond with Glen. The care she has for him is obvious.

  “I'm his best friend. Yet, he didn't even introduce us.”

  “Maybe we weren't supposed to meet so soon. Besides, would you really want to trade in the story of how we actually met?” Her eyes widen a little. “You know, I think we should. If anyone asks, Glen introduced us. Then no one else has to know what happened to me.”

  I chuckle. “You aren't getting out of it that easily.”

  She dramatically sighs. “It was worth a try.”

  “Have I redeemed myself yet for laughing at you?” I give her the biggest, most charming smile I can manage. Or, at least, I hope that's what it looks like.

  Eva purses her lips, narrowing her eyes at me as she contemplates. Then she shrugs and smiles. “I guess so.”

  “Really? You don't sound so sure.”

  She glances down at her nearly empty plate before meeting my eyes again. “The moment I realized we were going horseback riding, you redeemed yourself.” When I grin, she adds, “It's no reason to get cocky, Emerson.”

  “Why not? It shows you that I paid attention to what you said, so I could do something with you that I knew you would enjoy. How could you not cut me some slack after that?” The waitress brings the bill, and I hold her there as I quickly slip my card inside and hand it back to her.

  “Because you're making it so obvious that I should! Be humble, not arrogant.”

  I laugh. “I'll work on it. Do you want a to-go plate?” There's not anything left on my plate, but she has a tiny bit on hers.

  “No, I'm good.”

  Once the waitress returns, we begin our drive back to campus. We're nearing the appropriate exit on the interstate when Eva speaks. We had been riding in relative silence until now.

  “You live off campus, right?”

  “Yeah, I got an apartment at the end of last semester.”

  Eva's quiet for a moment. “Can I see it?” When I glance over at her in surprise, she says, “You can learn a lot about a person by their home.” She shrugs. “I'm curious and not quite ready to go back yet. That's the only reason I'm asking.”

  I chuckle at her. Sex never crossed my mind for this date. My past is too involved in my future for me to have sex with a girl I barely know. Waiting is practically part of my DNA, something I'm always doing in some aspect of my life. Regardless, I find myself answering in a way that sort of contradicts my thinking.

  “We can go to my apartment for whatever reasons you want, Eva.”

  She tries and fails at hiding her smile. Eva reaches out to press buttons on my radio to see what my pre-set stations are. I've never had someone come into my truck and operate things as if they owned it without ever driving it. I like her doing it though. She's trying to get to know me better. The remainder of our drive is spent quietly as Eva takes turns listening to different stations. I park at the apartment complex and then walk around to open Eva's door.

  “I've determined you have decent taste in music,” she says.

  “Only decent?” I ask, leading her up the staircase of my building.

  “Well, there was one or two questionable stations of six, so I had to knock it down to decent.”

  I laugh. “I can handle decent.” We reach my apartment, a number twenty on the door in brass. I unlock the door and push it open for her to walk inside while reaching in to flip the light switch.

  Eva steps over the threshold, openly looking around. I didn't expect anything less after what she said. My place is just that. A place. There's a black leather couch, a simple rug on the floor in front of it, and a large flat-screen TV with video games scattered around the game console on the entertainment center. An end table sits at each end with a lamp and coasters. The open floor plan gives her a glimpse into the kitchen, only a microwave sitting on the counter, plus a loaf of bread on top of it. Stools line the bar where I eat because I don't own a dining room table. I don't even have a dining room.

  Closing the door behind me, she disappears down the short hallway to my room and bathroom. The bathroom looks like any other bathroom: a toilet, a rug on the floor, a sink, and toiletries sitting on the counter. My bedroom is complete with a bed, a dresser, a nightstand, and a closet.

  Having Eva here so obviously examining my place makes me realize how bare it is. I exist here more than I live here. So when she returns and I ask, “What did you learn about me?” I'm not expecting her answer.

  “You like video games. You don't make your bed, but you are pretty neat and organized. You actually use your laundry hamper. If it wasn't for the unmade bed, I wouldn't be sure you actually stayed here often.” She frowns, glancing around again. “There's not a lot of yourself here.”

  “Most of my things are back home. I didn't bring a lot with me to college and when I got this place, I didn't go home for my stuff.” Eva takes a seat on my couch, so I sit too, figuring she wants to hang here for a while.

  “How come?”

  “I don't know. I don't really need it here, and I didn't want to go home to get it.”

  She nods in understanding, but seems at a loss as to what else to say. I watch her chest rise and fall with her deep breath. “I guess you can take me to campus now.”

  “Do you want to go or would you rather watch a movie first?” I feel like she's reluctant to go, but can't come up with a reason to stay. Finding a reason isn't too hard, even if it's something as simple as a movie.

  “Whichever you want to do.” Her answer surprises me. I expected her to say one or the other, so I was a little surprised.

  I stand, grab a controller, and turn on my console to be able to access my Netflix account. Eva is smiling when I sit back down next to her. I find a comedy, because how can you go wrong with that, and start it. A few minutes into the movie, I lay an arm on the back of the couch to get more comfortable, stretching my legs out in front of me. My grin breaks through when Eva slips off her shoes and pulls her legs up, tucking them to the side before leaning into me.

  That simple act is making me feel ridiculously accomplished. Our first date is a success. I'm certain I'll get a second one, which will be fantastic because I want to see more of Eva. She, apparently, just wants to sleep. We don't even reach the halfway point when I realize she's fallen asleep on me.

  I gently shake her shoulder and whisper, “Eva, wake up. Let's get you back to campus and into your own bed.” Her eyes flutter open. God, she's breathtaking. Those eyes make me want to surrender every time I see them and to see those baby blues in a sleepy daze is overwhelming. “I'm sure you want a shower first, too.” Her head nods. She was more asleep than I thought. Her movements are sluggish, slow, and fumbling as she tries to put her shoes back on.

  I chuckle, imagining her being like this first thing every morning. Kneeling, I wave her hands away to put her shoes on for her.

  “Thanks,” she mumbles.

  I take her hand to help her stand. After grabbing my keys, we're out the door. The humid night air wakes her up more. It's heavy as it assaults our lungs, making them feel weighed down.

  “Sorry, Emerson. I didn't realize how tired I was.”

  “It's all right.”

  She climbs into the truck after I open the door. “I had a lot of fun tonight,” she says as I pull onto the road.

  “Me too.” I'm only a mile away from campus, so it takes no time to reach her dorm building.

  “You don't h
ave to; I'll be fine,” she tells me when I unbuckle my seatbelt, fully intending to walk her up.

  “Yes, you will be fine because I'm going with you. It's late and I don't want you walking from here to the sidewalk by yourself, much less all the way to the building.” The best of the few empty parking spaces was still a good four rows of cars from the sidewalk. We get an email every time a crime occurs on campus or nearby and honestly, we get too many for me to let her do anything alone at night. Campus security does a good job making their presence known, but stuff still happens. Why increase the risk?

  Eva smiles. “You're sweet.”

  “And smart,” I add before getting out of the truck, hearing her laugh before I close the door behind me.

  We walk in silence to the building. Her room is on the first floor, so it's not long before we reach her dorm. Instead of opening the door, she turns to face me, a small smile playing on her lips.

  “Thank you for today and for walking me to my dorm, Emerson.”

  I smile. “Welcome. I'm going to make sure you make it safely inside your room, too.”

  She laughs. “Thanks for that as well.” Eva surprises the hell out of me when she lifts on her toes, leans forward, and presses her lips to mine. Immediately, my hands grab her hips to pull her closer. I thought her eyes were breathtaking; her lips force the air from my lungs and stops my heart from beating. Her kiss makes me want so much more so fast, I know it's dangerous to continue kissing her.

  An innocent kiss.

  Well, it's not really innocent. She runs her hands up my chest, locking them together behind my neck to keep me in place as she slays me with her talented mouth, which brings a throaty groan out of me—that she also consumes.

  “Would you like the room?”

  Eva jumps and swivels to face the chick standing in the doorway of their dorm. “Catherine, seriously?”

  “Hey, I heard a groan and was just checking to see what was happening.” Catherine shrugs before she leaves us standing in the hallway, the door still open.

  Eva faces me again. “I'll talk to you later?”